


Say Cheese! Now Panic.

by WindVoid6



Series: The. Clock. Still. Ticks. [1]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Ben Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Diego Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Good Sibling Ben Hargreeves, Hurt Klaus Hargreeves, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Klaus Hargreeves Deserves Better, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, he kinda gets it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:54:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26737705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WindVoid6/pseuds/WindVoid6
Summary: In the year 2002, a mission happens. A simple rescue the hostages and kil- stop the murder scheme going on. On that mission, Klaus, Ben and Diego get stuck in a trap with possible severe injuries.Will the other’s find them in time?
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves & Diego Hargreeves, Ben Hargreeves & Diego Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Diego Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves
Series: The. Clock. Still. Ticks. [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1910515
Kudos: 44





	Say Cheese! Now Panic.

**Author's Note:**

> It’s a slow burn okay. I KNOW BUT DEAL WITH IT BECAUSE IT GETS REALLY DAMN DEPRESSING.
> 
> Trigger warnings for PTSD, blood, and some sad times

A classic mission. Save the hostages, get rid of the bad guys.

Reginald had driven them down to a warehouse in a forest on the far side of the city, then he’d done the very thing of kicking them out and driving away. Obviously to stay out of the way of every tiny bit of danger until all the bad guys were- well, dead.

The car had been silent except from the occasional fidget or giggle. It was more of a limo than anything, two rows of three seats and an empty passenger next to Reginald. No one tried to get in that seat and Hargreeves never brought it up. 

Allison and Luther were just being Allison and Luther smiling sickeningly sweetly to each other, it seemed so wrong to Ben but he didn’t care regardless, he just hoped he could find someone else who’s how they are to each other for himself. Although, how could anyone love a boy with a portal to murderous tentacles in his stomach? 

Diego in between them seemed thoroughly furious with everything and everyone. He sat as straight and closed up as come be from One and Three and had his arms folded tensely around him. Ben wouldn’t say he was uncomfortable, Diego just always had a dislike to Allison for her relationship with Luther and speaking of who, Diego always hated him. Maybe it was the competitiveness. Maybe it was the jealousy. Maybe it was both.

Five sat in between Klaus and Ben, his knee bopping up and down as he tapped impatient taps on his thighs. Five never did care about feeling awkward or silenced, he typically tended to roll with it because it suited him. He was always too dedicated to his powers and math and all that, he never embraced family as much as he should do. Then again, Ben is the only one who does that. He _thinks_.

Five is also the only one to turn down a name. Said he didn’t want one, seemed unoriginal, whereas Klaus said he just liked feeling classy.

Klaus had his elbow propped on the window and stared out with a glassy look in his eyes. He’d been like that since yesterday morning when he came home from his training. Ben has tried many many times to get Klaus to not smoke, to not drink and to just talk about what’s bothering him, but he never listens. Says ‘It doesn’t matter’ whether that’s some high tech version of ‘It’s not important’ is a mystery but Ben hates the silence and the scratches on him- even the occasional sickness where as soon as he gets back through the front door and in his room... he vomits in the bathroom. Ben would know because he’s heard and seen but just never brought it up. 

Ben worries. About Klaus and his training. Perhaps it had something to do with drugs which explains the illness but it doesn’t quite connect the dots set up. He will find out, when he has a chance. Because today, today is depressed, silent Klaus day. No matter how much everyone says they hate his constant voice, Ben knows they miss the wit and jokes. So does he, it’s the only current distraction from the tightness and shivering in his stomach, itching to eat.

When the vehicle came to bolting stop, everyone huffed and groaned their way into undoing their seatbelts.

“Your mission is to free the captives and end the business going on in there. Do fail to disappoint.”

Ben clambered out and Five crawled after him. He dusted off his uniform and threw a cocky smirk to Klaus who was stood separated from all of them, Five got a half assed attempt in return. Good for his ego.

Luther helped Allison out by elegantly taking her hand whereas Diego bashed shoulders with him. Some missions were always like this. They could go terribly wrong or wonderfully right.

Five loves being cocky, Luther hates Diego, Diego hates Luther, Allison aims to impress, Klaus is always left behind to look out and Ben always ends up killing. It’s what keeps him up at nights. It’s what left him crying in the dark, but no one knows that. He hopes.

The car thrummed with power and then took off with the driver not sparing another thought. When would he ever? Every time, it ached a little more knowing that your own father- adoptive father- didn’t care about you. Whether you got hurt on a mission or not, it would always be ‘continue tomorrow’ or ‘you shall resume when discharged’. 

“There goes dad.” Klaus’s voice is croaky and scratchy but it’s good to hear it. It’s got a kind of lighthearted, caring tone to it that can loosen Ben up on his darkest days. Ben wonders if he sounds so unwell because he hasn’t spoke in uncharacteristically long or... he’s spoke so unaturally much.

”And his weird a-ass car.”

” _Diego_.” Allison cussed, like a mother to her child.

“I have a plan.”

”Ooh yeah, One?”

”Yes, _Two_.” Diego does not take the bait for once.

”How much o-of a plan?” Luther falls silent and Ben huffs at Diego’s bubbling grin.

”A part of a plan.” 

“How mu-mu-much?”

”Like... 70%.”

”70%? Tha-that’s not a-a plan.”

”Yeah well let’s all be honest here, I doubt you could come up with anything better than what he’s got. So zip it up.” Diego growled and was visibly chewing his cheek with anger but Five merely rolled his eyes.

”Luther?” Ben asks, his gaze falling on his brother with such hope. Luther turns away and points towards the warehouse in the distance.

”Five and Allison will locate and help the hostages. Me and Diego will take down the criminals, Ben you’ll help us and Klaus will be lookout.”

”D-d-do you even know who the-ese ‘criminals’ are, Luther?”

”The-they’re people with intent to harm. Dad also told us to figure out why they have the captives and what’s in there.”

” _Yay_ , shall the gods wheep.” Ben playfully stuck and elbow into Klaus’s ribs with a small grin, but he jerked back startled with a wild look in his eyes that was gone as soon as it was there.

Ben’s heart stung and cried out at the horror that was on his brothers face as he leapt away from _Ben_. Was he finally scared of him?

He only stared at him, as did the others to them with that same exasperated look they always had when it came to Number Four. The attention seeker. Ben knew better, he knew Klaus didn’t really like the public as much as he liked bright colours, or talking over training. Sure, he liked causing a scene but Ben knew _better_. Now though, now Ben didn’t know and he was worried.

Klaus rubbed his neck awkwardly and cleared his throat which yanked Ben back to reality. Klaus stared at him with apologetic, sympathetic eyes that were laced with a thin sheet of water.

“We should get going huh? Beep-beep says the captured, dying people and all that.”

***

”Klaus, you stay here. Shout if something happens.”

”Yeah okay,” sarcasm dripped lightly from his voice as he pouted to the dark grey skies, flinching as a rain drop landed in his eyes. “Hey Dee, is that a parrot?”

”No par-ra-rots don’t live her-ere, Klaus”

”They could do I mean, parrots are red.”

”It’s a robin.”

”Huh.” he deadpanned. Five flicked him in his ear and Klaus squealed while rubbing at the spot harshly.

” _Five_.”

”Cool yourself, _One_ ” Five ran up to the bulky, metal door and vanished in a sharp ray of blue before coming into contact. 

At an instance, a click sounded off the other side and the door was pulled open.

”Let’s go.” They filed in after Luther, slithering in as quietly as possible except Klaus who leaned against the door frame with his legs and arms crossed. Ben recognised the loneliness in his eyes and smiled and waved him off, Klaus smoothed his mask onto his eyes and poked his tongue out. Ben slipped through the door and pulled the mask out of his pocket and slipped it on too.

He wasn’t sure if the tightness in his chest was anxiousness for the killing to occur or jealousy of how easy it was for Klaus.

A masked Luther shouldered the door shut and the room dimmed to an eerie darkness despite the windows. A _clang_ echoed and Fives fists glowed a steady blue to brighten up the hundreds of crates with question marks as logos. Two huge tanks were at the back of the warehouse and then it was empty. No captives. Nothing.

”There’s no-nothing here.” Diego snarled while outstretching his arms to the dust.

”What about the crates?” Ben turned to Allison who lifted her leg to stomp on the crate. It broke apart under her foot and wood shards branched out. She reached down shot up to face them with her palm closed. Even in the dim lighting and mask her face wrinkled in confusion.

”It’s blood capsules.”

”Tha-that’s it?”

”Mhm.”

”So dead end then? Looks like dad got something wrong for once.” Luther grimaced and stomped over to the crates and slammed his fist into them.

”Can we go home?” Luther pulled his hand back with it coated in blood, assumedly not his own. He didn’t even spare Ben a look.

”There’s gotta be something here, look around.” Ben sagged and frowned while begrudgingly dragging his feet over to the crates to kick at the planks.

”Th-th-this shhhit hole is empty e-except for the tanks, what’s in them?”

”Let me see Diego, oh wait! I don’t have supervision.”

”Cl-clearly you don’t scratch the sur-sur-fa-ace by what you see in Lu-Luther.” Diego growled in frustration to himself and Allison rolled her eyes to herself in the crouched position she was at by the crates.

”Shu-shu-shut up Diego.”

”You-you got a-a problem?”

”Tanks are empty!” Their heads snapped to Five who had at some point teleported to the tanks.

”What? Aren’t oil and sh-shit supposed to be in them?”

”Yeah, but there’s a door.” Ben sulkily trudged over to him with the others close behind him. Fives hand wrapped around the handle.

”Five don’t!” Allison leapt forward to grab his arm but was too late. It slipped open with ease and wasn’t locked. Blinding light raided Bens vision and sent him flinching from the sudden change. 

Now there was really no hope of going home without a fight.

”It’s a room...?” Allison peered into the white tile room before stepping carefully into it as if it were to swallow her whole. Five jumped next to her.

”It’s an elevator, there’s only one other floor below.” Five pointed to the panel with the buttons ‘1’ and ‘2’ and Luther and Diego darted in. Ben didn’t move.

”Ben-“

”What about Klaus?” Allison’s mouth snapped shut before reopening.

”He’s the lookout, he’ll be fine.”

”What’s the point if he can’t find us?” Ben knew he had a point there. They’ve had Klaus as a lookout on the most useless of missions, their siblings would never come to terms with it but ‘the lookout’ was really just an excuse to say his powers were useless and that he had to be out of the way. Okay, so that was true but why bring him at all? Why put him through the boredom?

Ben liked him on missions, it made them more fun in a way. Only if Vanya could come too... but it’s always _shall the less important be left behind_.

”He’s probably already gone, you know how he is.” He couldn’t really call bluff on her there. They’d come back on numerous occasions with Klaus adrift, Ben hated that he knew that Klaus would get drunk and smoke. It wasn’t right, especially at their age. It was almost impossible to even offer help.

The silent impatient staring pressured his feet into striding into the elevator and Ben couldn’t help but feel guilty as Five pressed a button and the door slammed shut. The Horror churned uncomfortably in his stomach at his weakened distress.

Ben retreated into the corner away from his siblings and wrapped his arms around his stomach to contain the gagging sensation. Diego gave him a pitiful look before taking out one of his knives for stand by.

The awkward silence was exactly Bens point. If Klaus was here maybe it would be different.

Maybe Ben wouldn’t be so anxious of going into some underground, unfortified base if he was here. He is- after all- the only sibling that understands how Ben feels and Ben, Ben was trying for him too.

***

To be honest, that screaming man with eyes out and fingers gone was really giving him a headache. He’d love to get drunk right now but here he was, just underage smoking because he was stuck on a mission as the lookout.

The wind and cries of ghosts nearby were leaving him with goosebumps and a tiny bit of a panic moment _because,_ he was physically alone.

He couldn’t have a decent smoke, he didn’t have music, didn’t have anything to distract himself and he most certainly could not close his eyes. He couldn’t see the darkness again, he couldn’t hear the screaming again.

Usually Klaus would wonder off just a little, get a donut maybe. In _hell_ , was he going anywhere alone here.

He shivered with his back and hands pressed against door, his breath coming in ragged attempts. Why today out of all days did he have to stand outside in the cold? Why did _dad_ have to even put him in the mausoleum? It’s been four years, and Reginalds method is a bunch of crap.

_Klauuussss..._

_Klaus! KLAUS!  
_

_WHY WONT YOU HELP US!!!!!!!??_

_YOU’RE A DEMON!_

The sob that slips through his throat is more of a choke than anything. He had straightened his curls with Allison’s straightener so that his hair would drape down and cover the scratches that unintentionally occurred on his temple last night but it had already curled back up. He had used make up too, without her knowing of course. He’d like to say he did a good job and that he even likes how the foundation brings out his eyes.

This wait for his siblings had already gotten unbearable at the ten minutes mark but he had no where else to go so he held himself together. All it took was a distinct voice from the rest, one that wasn’t angry, wasn’t in pain and very much far.

Klaus frowned.

”-you really think they got a chance?”

”I mean they’re a bunch of kids in the end right? All we need now is to overwhelm ‘em” Klaus chased the voices and slung himself behind a tree.

Klaus held his breath and stared at his feet to watch his stepping in case of braking a branch as he shuffled around the tree as the duo of men walked past him past the warehouse.

He breathed out on sweet relief as they went away but stumbled in realisation to get a good look at them. They had fur coats with a bunch of contraptions hanging from the back of their belts. Hunters?

-then they were gone. They took one step and vanished. Not in the same way Five does but as in they turned invisible and were still walking. The urge to to follow them was replaced with a ‘Hell no’ and he ran his long legs back to the warehouse. He banged the door but nothing came from it, he shoved his shoulder against it but it didn’t budge.

Klaus stepped back and looked at the warehouse, windows. Well that was a dumb idea.

”Damn it.” He shakily fidgeted in his blouse pocket and yanked out a lighter as well as a loose cigarette. He rolled the lighter until he sparked a flame onto his cigar, then placed it inbetween his dry cut lips. He took a deep breath of the bliss before throwing the lighter at the window.

It shattered, and Klaus pulled out the cigarette to huff out smoke before slotting it back in and climbing through the window frame.

Splitting pain flooded into the form of red liquid dripping from his hand. “ _Ah_!” He yanked his hand away and tumbled through the window onto his back with glass resting beneath his back. Whether he was in some sort of shock or something but he couldn’t feel anything stabbing him in the back.

Now that, _that_ was an achievement.

This was still an awful day.

Klaus groaned tiredly as he held his hand in front of him. A drop of blood fell from the cut onto in mask, he flinched back and wiped his eyes with the back of his uninsured hand. He then pressed a finger from his other hand over it. He sucked it a sharp breath at the flare of pain but curled his hand around his palm nonetheless. Luckily it wasn’t deep but it still stung.

Cursing lightly to himself, Klaus used all the strength in his back to sit himself up and sighed once done. He held his hands to his chest and looked around the warehouse. Empty? They couldn’t have left. They wouldn’t. So where’s does one boy who can see the dead find his complexed siblings in an empty warehouse? The ghosts of course.

***

Ben and Diego had been sent off to steal a hard drive after downloading everything onto it once down into the ray of tunnels. The elevator had opened up to a security room and then a tunnel where the others had gone.

“This is going to take too long,”

”Wha-what do you mean?” Ben pointed to the downloading bar at the bottom right of the computer.

”Its only gone up three percent in the last two minutes. We should go help the others.”

”We can’t, Be-Ben.”

”I don’t understand why not-“ it was better than sitting around.

”Guys, guys, guys, guys!!!!!!” Ben tilted his head to the sound of the voice.

”Klaus?” Both brothers said in unison while hurrying out of the room and at the elevator.

”Oh, thank Christ.” He breathed while pressing a hand to the sleeve of his wrist. “I need you guys to come see something.”

”Kla-Kla-Klau- Four, you’re supposed to be on loo-lookout.”

”Exactly! I just saw some hocus pocus shit and you need to come like... now.”

“Okay.” Klaus look at Ben with big green eyes brightening in gratitude and a smile covering his features.   
  
“We can’t. This is the miss-mission.”

”Jeez Dee, when did you start following rules? Don’t be a buzzkill. Come on!” Ben ran into the elevator and stood by and watched as Diego mumbled a curse and dragged his feet along.

Klaus pressed the Upper button rapidly until the doors finally shut themselves.

”If-if you’re lying I swear I’ll-“

”I’m not! Don’t get your panties in a twist.” Ben stared down at the smeared blood on his shirt and his face frowned in concern.

”Are you okay?” Klaus blinked at him before following his gaze.

”Oh, oh this? This is just a minor incident.” He held his hand so that the palm was off to show and Ben grimaced. A thick cut with dark ooze coated his hand.

”Damn, what did you do?” Diego cringed next to him.

”I jumped through a window. It was not as epic as it seems.” Klaus waved at him before wiping it on his shorts. Ben had a need to offer up his tie to wrap around his hand but he just chewed his cheek.

He could feel the anxiety swarming his chest. This was stupid. They were leaving their siblings and going off to do what? Investigate? Ben believed in Klaus but he was dangling off the deep end lately.

”No shh-shit.”

They stood in a collective silence with only shuffling feet until the doors slid open to reveal the empty warehouse.

”Andddd roll out. Come on!” Klaus’s lanky limbs flailed as he ran up to the broken window which Ben could only guess was how he got the cut in his hand. Maybe it was just the light behind him but Klaus seemed as pale as he did when he came home yesterday.

”What are we doing exactly?”

”Just come around here, I heard these guys talking and then they just turned invisible when they crossed this area.”

“That’s it?” Ben deadpanned as booted down all the shards still standing on the frame.

”Well, yeah.” Klaus stepped up and jumped over the window with a bow of gratitude as he bounced on his feet waiting.

”C’mon. C’mon. C’mon.” Diego leapt over with his agility as Ben climbed over graciously, careful not to hurt himself.

“Klaus,” Diego growled, a threatening warning dripping off his tongue while trying to keep up with the excited medium. “If your bu-bu-bull-“

”Jeez take a chill Dee Dee. We can get all the credit!”

Ben had his own worries. What if they came all this way only to find nothing? What if their siblings needed them? It was too late to turn back now, despite his mind constantly dragging him back. The Eldritch in him even rumbled uncomfortably, whether it was in pleads to turn back or just the routine it pulls.

”Are yo-you high?”

Even Ben reeled a little bit but then the guilt overcame as he realised he too wanted an answer. He sees it though, the deadpan of Klaus’s face and the slow in his steps until he’s at a stand still.

Diego stood next to him, staring so intensely that Klaus’s face should be burned in if looks could hurt. Diego also stared as if he were trying to figure the answer out for himself but Klaus was swatting him away with a too wide to be real grin.

”No, how could my own brother of mine think _such_ an accusing thing?” He held his hand over his heart and leaned his head back with his other hand on his forehead dramatically.

Sure, the sudden mood change in the last fifteen minutes was a bit strange but that was Klaus. He could bouncing off the walls one moment and silently staring away the next.

Either Diego was buying it or not, his expression didn’t give it away. Just a narrow of his eyes and lips in a thin line. What Ben didn’t miss was how the seance kept his eyes anywhere but on him. Ben just smiled nimbly in encouragement? Or pity? He himself wasn’t so sure. 

“Mein bruders, they were right here...?”

”Here?” Ben raised an eyebrow and chewed bottom lip at Diego’s withering temper as the knife wielders jaw clenched.

”H-He-Here?”

”Yes! I just don’t-“

”W-W-We should head ba-back, this is clearly crap.”

”Just trust me!”

”I’m not trusting someone who can’t think straight!”

”I’m fine!”

”Guys.”

”We should’ve sta-stayed with the others!”

”Guys.”

”Diego! Just listen to me.”

”Guys!”

”Benny, please tell me you don’t think I’m crazy.” He looked back and forth between them, both scoffing as they both took his hesitation for different wrong reasons. He wasn’t Reginald, he wasn’t going to pick between them.

Instead, Ben grabbed Klaus’s hand as he chased after Diego’s irritated figure. Number Four only managed to gingerly touch Number Twos forearm before Number Six faltered in horror.

He screeched as he watched the floor vanish under his brothers feet. That was until he panicked when he realised he was no longer standing himself.

So, Ben screamed.

Cracks and pops filtered the hollow air as he came to ground again. He sobbed as blinding pain shot through his entire arm and dryly sobbed again as he realised he couldn’t see.

For a minute he entirely forgot how and why he was where he was. He tried his best to not let the pain in but his body denied as cries wracked his body, why wasn’t anyone helping him? He helped Klaus when he fell down the stairs.

 _Klaus_.

 _Diego_.

Ben was also lying on top of something. Someone, by the curves and texture. The human cushion is probably why his wrist was the only part of him in agony.

Ben didn’t dare move his entire left shoulder but he forced his other hand to reach up and touch whoever’s chin his head was tucked under- not without a whimper ripping through his throat. His hand gripped a mess of greasy, knotty curly hair and his breath hitched. 

”Klaus. _Klaus_.” He couldn’t move but his hand padded his brothers cheek. His unresponsive brother.

Ben froze and shuddered in relief at the rise and fall of the body beneath him but the frantic panic quickly seeped back in. It was dark, and his brother was unconscious and he couldn’t move. What the hell was he supposed to do?

”Nnngh...” Speak of the cure.

”Diego!” He whispered, despite there being no point.

”Wha...”

”Are you okay?” Ben stared out to the darkness to find his other brothers slurred voice.

”Ye-yeah, I-“ He wheezed, as if the air had been zapped out of his lungs. Ben shivered and bit on his bottom lip to stop the whimper slipping through and stared out to the dark figure of his brother a he pushed himself up.

”Di-Diego?” Number Two’s hand held over his own chest and took in desperate breaths, Ben’s heart was beating uncomfortably in his chest.

”Diego. I _need_ your help.” His voice shook and Diego continued to wheeze and shudder.

” _Okay_.”

”I ne-need you to move me, my _arm_ \- I _can’t_.” Eventually, Diego shuffled towards him with gasps for breaths and laid a hand on Ben’s back.

”Whe-where too?

”My wrist- left.” Ben squeezed his eyes shut as fingers graced over his immobile hand, he could still feel them which was a good sign.

”Oh...”

“ _What_?”

”It-.... It’s gonna hu-hu-hurt, it’s broken.” 

“Just- please.” He didn’t even want to imagine what it looked like even in the darkness. He just had to get off of Klaus as to not cause further damage to neither of them. 

He buried his face into the tall boys shoulder as Diego pinched and grabbed his fingers, prying them gently away from another’s- Klaus’s. Ben choked on a sob. 

Diego pulled back his elbow and held it to the side while his other arm snaked around his back to go under his armpit.

”O-okay, three... two-“ Ben squealed as Diego pulled him back; more out of fear than anything.

”Stop! Stop, stop, stop!” He was already slopped over the other boys knees and leant against his chest.

”Ben, it’s okay. Okay? Just d-don’t freak out.” It was not okay. Even from his arm being held to the side he could see his wrist bent at a terrifying angle.

Ben kicked his feet and focused on breathing with his eyes clenched shut. He was certainly freaking out. He couldn’t do that. Not _now_.

It took him a second to realise Diego was rocking him. “S-S-See? It-it’s fine.”

”We-we need to get out.” Diego mumbled in agreement before stilling.

”S-sit up,” Ben sluggishly crossed his legs and Diego crawled in front of him and lay his arm on Ben’s lap. “O-okay.” He breathed out.

Ben watched his brother as he crouched over to the immobile body of Number Four. Ben feels a new rush of panic and guilt over him, but Klaus was breathing last he checked- last he checked. If he put together the pieces correctly than this, the injuries were mostly his fault. He grabbed Klaus’s hand, which he then fell onto his own and broke it, and then he also fell on Klaus at the same time.

”H-hey, Klaus.” Diego slipped an arm underneath his shoulders and slapped his cheek with the other. Klaus remained unresponsive and the outline of Diego’s hand slipped down to his brothers neck.

Diego leaned over him and slapped his face again, but harder with determination seeping into his voice. “Hey, _idiot_.”

Ben felt worry still weep through. It was so wrong to have a person who never shuts up be so quiet. Sure, Klaus was quiet all morning but this was something else. This was scary. Now, Ben wished he persuaded his brother before hand about why he usually shuts himself off after training. He just hopes he still had the chance to- or maybe that was the paranoia talking.

He rubbed small circles lightly onto his arm and looked around, a chill sinking down his spine at the pit of white slight leading into a tunnel behind them. Not too far to walk normally but definitely too far to drag and unconscious person and an injured.

”He’s ou-out cold.” Ben hummed.

”I think that leads out to the others.” Diego followed his gaze and sighed, shaky and thoughtful.

”What if it doesn’t?”

Then... they’re gonna have some problems right? They’ll figure it out. Even if they can’t someone will, their siblings would realise their gone eventually and try and find them. It would be fine.

A low groan echoed and Ben’s necked snapped to the side as fast as whiplash.

”W-woo...”

That wasn’t Diego.

**Author's Note:**

> A little clear up... Ben didn’t want to carry on the mission at the beginning because he saw an opportunity to give it up, then with Diego he wants to go to the action with the others because he’s a good person and wants to help his siblings where he can especially when he’s doing nothing.


End file.
